Fragile rural church

The marks of a fragile rural church are all around in this part of Somerset. There are lots of picturesque hamstone churches, in small scattered villages, looked after by a shrinking group of people. Congregations are small in size and made up of elderly people; the clergyperson in charge has responsibility for several parishes spread over a wide area - our local priest, for example, has a benefice of seven parishes. I went to the village annual church meeting last night. The membership roll was reported as being just over twenty, whereas a year ago it was just over thirty. The reason for the sharp decline in 12 months is apparently due to the number of deaths which have occurred since the last annual meeting. So the picture of fragile rural church is one of a shrinking membership, trying to do more than it can cope with, under resourced, under financed, and consequently struggling. Elderly church members can feel nostalgic and saddened by the changes taking place, while serving clergy can be disheartened and sometimes disillusioned in trying to maintain their morale and that of their congregations. I guess it's easier to observe these things in retirement and in a different environment. I sometimes wonder if we'd be better to let the present system gracefully fall away without nostalgia or bitterness, and look towards a yet unknown future, in which a Resurrection future can start to reveal itself.